The Pope drew attention to natural family planning methods when he suggested there are ways for Catholic women to limit the number of children they have without violating the Church’s teachings on contraception. But just how do these methods work? And how good are they?

Nearly two weeks after Brittany Maynard used Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act to end her life at the age of 29, the New Jersey General Assembly passed a similar aid in dying bill that gives terminally ill patients the right to help in precipitating their death.

Vatican officials appeared Monday before the United Nations Committee on Torture to discuss the sexual abuse of children by priests, claiming the Holy See lacks juridical power to combat the problem on an international basis.

The Oscar-nominated film Philomena tells the tale of an Irish Catholic mother separated from her son by one of Ireland’s infamous 20th century Magdalene Laundries. But this adoption system wasn’t limited to mid-century Ireland; there are millions of Philomenas out there.

Members of the media and many progressives are beside themselves about Pope Francis. But raise the subject of the pope’s continued exclusion of women and the church’s opposition to any form of reproductive freedom, and you’re all but told to shut up and wait.